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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
End US visa programs: Why Trump supporters want H-1B visa removed
Once again, the H-1B visa, much loved by Indian professionals, is back in the spotlight—this time, for all the wrong reasons. Amid a fresh wave of layoffs in the US tech sector, questions are mounting over why companies are continuing to hire foreign workers through the H-1B route while cutting jobs at home. After Microsoft laid off around 9,000 employees in phases earlier this year, Intel has now announced plans to slash over 25,000 jobs. The backlash has been swift. US Vice President JD Vance on Friday publicly criticised Microsoft, saying he does not buy the 'bulls**t story' that the company can't find qualified American workers. 'That displacement and that math worries me a bit,' Vance said at a bipartisan event hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum. 'We want the very best and the brightest to make America their home. But I don't want companies to fire 9,000 American workers and then to go and say, 'We can't find workers here in America.' That's a bulls**t story,' said Vance. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, a vocal critic of the H-1B system, called for an end to all employment-based visa programmes. 'We need to cut all the visa programs. If we are going to do it, let's do it hard-core and clean it up,' said Bannon on his podcast. He said foreign workers were not better educated, but tech companies wanted 'indentured servants' who would work under pressure for less money. 'The situation in Silicon Valley is a festering sore,' Bannon said, claiming that around 12 million trained IT graduates in the US are unemployed while jobs are given to visa holders. 'There is always a way to get 'Einsteins',' he said, adding that talented individuals should be encouraged to stay in their home countries and 'make them great again like they are doing in Japan'. Vance's remarks were quickly countered by an Indian-origin tech investor who accused him of misleading the public. In a post on X, the investor wrote, 'Microsoft didn't bring in new foreign workers after laying people off, they renewed visas for long-time employees who've been in the U.S. legally for many many years, stuck in green card backlogs.' He argued that companies were simply allowing employees to stay in the roles they had already earned. 'Saying that's 'replacing Americans' is like saying letting a loyal employee stay and renew his visa is the same as hiring someone new off the street,' the post said. The investor also pointed out that many of the 9,000 employees laid off were H-1B holders. 'They got no severance, no safety net, just a 60-day countdown to leave the country. If you care about fairness, fix the backlog. Don't weaponise lies.' US weighs change to H-1B selection system At the policy level, the Trump administration is reviewing changes to how H-1B visas are awarded. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in a filing to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs earlier this month, proposed replacing the current lottery system with a 'weighted selection process'. The change would apply to the capped portion of the visa programme—85,000 visas per year, including 65,000 for general applicants and 20,000 for those with advanced degrees from US universities. The rule is still under review and the specifics are yet to be made public, but US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is listed as the implementing agency. 'The H-1B is the primary way through which the United States attracts high-skilled immigrants. That it is randomly allocated is insane,' said Connor O'Brien, a research analyst at the Economic Innovation Group. He added, 'Eliminating the H-1B lottery in favour of a system that prioritises higher earners first is a no-brainer... Giving away these visas randomly is an enormous, missed opportunity to attract truly scarce talent.' Federal agency warns against bias in hiring The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a warning to employers, saying that favouring foreign workers over American citizens in recruitment violates federal law. 'Unlawful bias against American workers, in violation of Title VII, is a large-scale problem in multiple industries nationwide,' said EEOC acting chair Andrea Lucas on February 19, 2025. She alleged that some companies had policies that preferred illegal aliens, migrant workers, and visa holders over American workers. 'The law applies to you, and you are not above the law,' she said. 'The EEOC is here to protect all workers from unlawful national origin discrimination, including American workers.' The agency outlined common reasons for such practices: * Lower wage costs through loopholes or off-the-books payments * Assumptions that foreign workers are less likely to raise complaints * Client preferences for foreign workers * Perceptions that foreign workers have a stronger work ethic Counterview: H-1B workers are well-paid and boost US economy The American Immigration Council disputes the notion that H-1B workers harm domestic employment. Its research shows that in 2021, H-1B holders had a median salary of 108,000, more than double the national average of 45,760. Between 2003 and 2021, their median wage rose by 52 per cent, compared to 39 per cent for the general workforce. 'The US economy relies on H-1B visas to address skilled labour shortages, particularly in technology, engineering, and healthcare, where domestic supply is insufficient,' Jidesh Kumar, managing partner at King Stubb & Kasiva, told Business Standard. 'Tech giants and startups alike depend on H-1B professionals for cutting-edge research and product development. Many also go on to become entrepreneurs, creating jobs and boosting the economy.' Kumar warned that tightening the programme could drive global talent to other destinations. 'Restricting the programme could force top global talent to seek opportunities in countries like Canada or the UK, potentially undermining the US's position as a leader in innovation and economic growth,' he said. Indian applicants dominate H-1B pool In the 2023 financial year, about 191,000 Indian professionals were granted H-1B visas. The number rose to approximately 207,000 in FY 2024. Despite this, over one million Indians remain stuck in the employment-based green card backlog due to country-specific quotas and annual limits, according to USCIS data. For FY 2026, USCIS selected 120,141 H-1B registrations—a sharp drop from previous years and the lowest since 2021. Analysts have linked this to increased scrutiny of multiple registrations and a hike in the application fee.
Gulf Insider
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Gulf Insider
Nvidia Ceo Calls AI the ‘Greatest Equalizer of Our Time'
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is no stranger to making bold claims, but his latest prediction might just redefine how we view the next era of innovation. Speaking on the All-In podcast hosted by venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, Huang forecasted that 'AI will create more millionaires in five years than the internet did in 20.' In an era where AI is evolving faster than policy and public understanding can keep pace, Huang's perspective offers both a reality check and a roadmap for those hoping to ride the next tech wave. The takeaway? The AI revolution is already here, and those who don't adapt may be left behind. When asked why he calls AI the 'greatest technology equaliser,' Huang responded with a transformative view: 'Everybody is a programmer now.' According to the Nvidia CEO, the traditional gatekeeping of coding languages like C++ or Python has faded. With AI interfaces, people now only need to express an idea in natural language to create something powerful. 'Everybody is an artist now; everybody is an author now,' Huang said, explaining that AI bridges the gap between imagination and execution. The CEO believes this accessibility will democratize wealth creation, empower creatives, and allow smaller teams to deliver enterprise-level impact. Huang believes that in the near future, every company will operate two factories—one physical and one digital. 'Tesla builds cars in one factory, and in another, it builds the AI that powers them,' he explained. This model, he claims, will soon apply to every major industrial business, not just tech startups. And the scale? Staggering. Nvidia plans to produce about $500 billion worth of AI supercomputers in Arizona and Texas over the next four years. These machines are expected to drive trillions in economic value across industries. In a conversation during the Hill and Valley Forum, Huang revealed the financial impact of compact, focused AI teams. Citing examples like OpenAI and China's DeepSeek—each initially staffed with about 150 researchers—Hua .. 'No industry in history has ever had this kind of leverage,' he asserted, underlining how mid-sized teams, when backed with the right resources, can transform markets at lightning speed. In fact, Huang noted, 'I've created more billionaires on my management team than any CEO in the world. They're doing just fine.' In an unexpected insight into Nvidia's internal culture, Huang also shared his hands-on approach to employee compensation. He confirmed that he personally reviews every proposed salary and stock grant at the company—yes, all 42,000 employees—and uses machine learning to sort through recommendations. '100% of the time, I increase the company's spend on OpEx,' Huang said, 'because you take care of people, and everything else takes care .. Huang issued a word of caution for professionals stuck in old ways. 'Anybody who is not using AI is going to lose their jobs to someone with knowledge of AI,' he said. This wasn't framed as a threat, but rather a reflection of the new baseline in skill development. For those who've long felt tech was inaccessible, AI may offer an unexpected second chance to get ahead. 'The barrier between idea and execution has collapsed,' Huang declared. Also Read: These Are The World's Fastest Growing Jobs
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Economic Times
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calls AI the ‘greatest equalizer of our time', predicts it will create more millionaires than the internet
Synopsis Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, predicts AI will create more millionaires in the next five years than the internet did in twenty, democratizing wealth creation by making everyone a programmer, artist, and author. He envisions companies operating both physical and digital factories, with small AI teams generating billions in value. Reuters Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, predicts AI will create more millionaires in the next five years than the internet did in twenty, democratizing wealth creation by making everyone a programmer, artist, and author. He envisions companies operating both physical and digital factories, with small AI teams generating billions in value. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is no stranger to making bold claims, but his latest prediction might just redefine how we view the next era of innovation. Speaking on the All-In podcast hosted by venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, Huang forecasted that 'AI will create more millionaires in five years than the internet did in 20.' In an era where AI is evolving faster than policy and public understanding can keep pace, Huang's perspective offers both a reality check and a roadmap for those hoping to ride the next tech wave. The takeaway? The AI revolution is already here, and those who don't adapt may be left behind. When asked why he calls AI the 'greatest technology equaliser,' Huang responded with a transformative view: 'Everybody is a programmer now.' According to the Nvidia CEO, the traditional gatekeeping of coding languages like C++ or Python has faded. With AI interfaces, people now only need to express an idea in natural language to create something powerful. 'Everybody is an artist now; everybody is an author now,' Huang said, explaining that AI bridges the gap between imagination and execution. The CEO believes this accessibility will democratize wealth creation, empower creatives, and allow smaller teams to deliver enterprise-level impact. Huang believes that in the near future, every company will operate two factories—one physical and one digital. 'Tesla builds cars in one factory, and in another, it builds the AI that powers them,' he explained. This model, he claims, will soon apply to every major industrial business, not just tech startups. And the scale? Staggering. Nvidia plans to produce about $500 billion worth of AI supercomputers in Arizona and Texas over the next four years. These machines are expected to drive trillions in economic value across industries. In a conversation during the Hill and Valley Forum, Huang revealed the financial impact of compact, focused AI teams. Citing examples like OpenAI and China's DeepSeek—each initially staffed with about 150 researchers—Huang estimated these teams can produce value worth $20 to $30 billion, or roughly $200 million per person. 'No industry in history has ever had this kind of leverage,' he asserted, underlining how mid-sized teams, when backed with the right resources, can transform markets at lightning speed. In fact, Huang noted, 'I've created more billionaires on my management team than any CEO in the world. They're doing just fine.' In an unexpected insight into Nvidia's internal culture, Huang also shared his hands-on approach to employee compensation. He confirmed that he personally reviews every proposed salary and stock grant at the company—yes, all 42,000 employees—and uses machine learning to sort through recommendations. '100% of the time, I increase the company's spend on OpEx,' Huang said, 'because you take care of people, and everything else takes care of itself.' And yes, he jokingly added, he does 'carry stock options in his pocket.' Huang issued a word of caution for professionals stuck in old ways. 'Anybody who is not using AI is going to lose their jobs to someone with knowledge of AI,' he said. This wasn't framed as a threat, but rather a reflection of the new baseline in skill development. For those who've long felt tech was inaccessible, AI may offer an unexpected second chance to get ahead. 'The barrier between idea and execution has collapsed,' Huang declared.
Mint
4 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Vance lashes out at Microsoft for firing Americans, hiring H1-B workers; tech investor fact checks him
US Vice President JD Vance gave a stern H-1B visa message, slamming companies for allegedly laying off American workers and continuing to hike overseas employees, only to be fact-checked by an Indian origin tech investor. Lashing out at companies like Microsoft for laying off thousands of employees, Vance said he did not believe in the 'bulls**t story' that they cannot find workers in America. Speaking at a bipartisan event co-hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum, Donald Trump's deputy questioned the logic for companies like Microsoft firing thousands and then applying for H1-B visas for workers, implying they are hiring overseas. 'You see some big tech companies where they'll lay off 9,000 workers, and then they'll apply for a bunch of overseas visas. And I sort of wonder; that doesn't totally make sense to me,' Vance said. The US V-P said that this pattern 'worries me a bit' 'That displacement and that math worries me a bit. And what the president has said, he said very clearly: We want the very best and the brightest to make America their home. We want them to build great companies and so forth,' he said. 'But I don't want companies to fire 9,000 American workers and then to go and say, 'We can't find workers here in America.' That's a bulls**t story,' Vance added. JD Vance's comments come days after it was reported that Satya Nadella-led Microsoft has fired 9,000 employees but applied for more than 6,000 H-1B visas since October. JD Vance's comments were immediately fact-checked by an Indian-origin tech investor, who said that the leader was 'misleading people'. In a post on X, the tech investor wrote, 'Microsoft didn't bring in new foreign workers after laying people off , they renewed visas for long-time employees who've been in the U.S. legally for many many years, stuck in green card backlogs.' He said that companies are letting their long-time employees stay in the job that was earned by them. 'Saying that's 'replacing Americans' is like saying letting a loyal employee stay and renew his visa in the building is the same as hiring someone new off the street,' the tech investor wrote. 'It's not. It's just letting them stay in the job they already earned.' He asked Vance to stop 'weaponising lies'. 'And here's what JD won't say: many of the 9,000 laid off were H‑1Bs too. They got no severance, no safety net , just a 60-day countdown to leave the country. If you care about fairness, fix the backlog. Don't weaponize lies.'
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Makes no sense': JD Vance gives H-1B warning to Microsoft, Indians say he's not revealing that....
Vice president JD Vance slammed US companies prioritizing H-1Bs instead of giving jobs to Americans and said he does not believe in the bulls**t story that these companies can't find workers in America. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking at a bipartisan event co-hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum, Vance questioned the ethics and economic logic behind mass layoffs by companies like Microsoft which is followed by an increase in H-1B applications. This suggests that these companies are laying off Americans and then applying to hire people from overseas. "You see some big tech companies where they'll lay off 9,000 workers, and then they'll apply for a bunch of overseas visas. And I sort of wonder; that doesn't totally make sense to me," Vance said. "That displacement and that math worries me a bit. And what the president has said, he said very clearly: We want the very best and the brightest to make America their home. We want them to build great companies and so forth. But I don't want companies to fire 9,000 American workers and then to go and say, 'We can't find workers here in America.' That's a bulls**t story." Microsoft recently laid off 9,000 employees globally and came under scrutiny for its use of the H-1B visa program. According to several social media claims. Microsoft submitted applications for more than 6,000 H-1B visas since October while they are also laying off so many employees. 'JD Vance is misleading people' An Indian-American tech investor reacted to JD Vance's suggestion and said the vice president would not mention that many of the 9,000 laid off employees were H-1Bs too and they got no severance, no safety net and just a 60-day countdown to leave the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Microsoft didn't bring in new foreign workers after laying people off , they renewed visas for long-time employees who've been in the U.S. legally for many many years, stuck in green card backlogs. Saying that's 'replacing Americans' is like saying letting a loyal employee stay and renew his visa in the building is the same as hiring someone new off the street. It's not. It's just letting them stay in the job they already earned," the tech investor wrote.
